Card retaining device



Oct. 17, 1950 J. TENDLER CARD RETAINING DEVICE Filed May 24, 1949JNVENTOR. JAQK TENDLEIZ dummy V Patented Oct. 17, 1950 UNITED STATESFATE-NT; OFFICE,

v "CARD RETAINING DEVICE Jack Tendler, Washington, D. C. ApplicationMay. 24, 1949, Serial No. 95,020

v 1 This invention relates to a playing card holding or retaining deviceand more particularly to'a' card retaining device for holding cards fromblowing or inadvertently sliding on a table or the like. 2

It is an object of this invention to provide a playing card retainingdevice of the kind to be more particularly described hereinafterl, whichmay be economically and attractively formed of metal, plastic or othersuitable resilient material engageable with a package of cards forreleasably clamping the cards on the base which supports the clampingmember.

Another object of this invention is to provide a card retaining deviceof this kind which is formed in such a manner that the resilientclamping member will exert substantially the same clamping force on theuppermost card of a deck of playing cards and the lowermost card whennearly all of the cards have been withdrawn from the device.

A further object of this invention is to provide a card clamping devicefor playing .cards for securely holding on one side thereof a deck orpartial deck of cards, face down, after the hands have been dealt andfor holding down the discarded cards, face up, adjacent the face downcards for securely holding against inadvertent movement on. the table asfrom wind or the like.

With the above and other objects in view,

4' Claims. (C1. 24-66) my invention consists in the arrangement,combination and details of "construction disclosed in the specificationand drawings and then more particularly pointed out in theapp'endedlclaiins.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a card retainingdevice constructed according to'an em bodiment of my invention.

Figure '2 is an end elevation of the card retaining device with thepackages of cards reti'onfpartly broken away of a second modified formof this invention. n

, Referrin to the drawings, thenumeral l0 designates generally a cardretaining and clamp ing device, constructed according to an embodimentof my invention, for holding a card or deck of cards in a clampedposition, as on a table or the like, for retaining the card or cardsagainst blowing or inadvertently sliding about the table as caused bywind or other exterior causes. The card retaining device I0 isparticularly formed for clampingeither two decks of cards or one deck ofcards and a pile or package of discards,

as used in games of pinochle, rummy or the like.

The card retaining device In is preferably formed of metal, plastic orother suitable inherently resilient material, the card playing device |0being preferably formed as a substantial integral unit wherein the baseand clamping jaws are formed from the same strip of material. Theretaining'device I0 is formed with a longitudinally extending strip, ofmetal or other material which will normally be disposed in a horizontalplane and defines a'base II on which a pack or deck of cards C areadapted to be clampingly engaged and positioned.

A clamping member 12 is fixed to or, preferably formed integral with,the base I I and extends upwardly from the base at the center therer of.A second clamping member I4 is also formed integral with the base orsecured to the base I I and one arm of the U-shaped clamping member I2.The clamping member 14 is also U- shaped in configuration having a pairof side arms l5 and I6 connected together at their upper ends by anarcuate bight portion or member H. The U-shaped clamping member l2 isformed with an upwardly extending side arm I8 and a vertical side arm l9connected at its upper end to the upper end of the side arm l8 by aresilient bight portion 20. The lower end of the side arm I8, of theclamping member 12 is fixed to or formed integrally with the centerportion of the base II and the side arm l5 of the clamping member I4 isfixed to or formed integral with the base II and the side arm E8 of theother clamping member [2.

The oppositely directed arcuate bight portions or connecting bars I1 and20 extend outwardly from the center bar 2|, formed by the fixed sidearms [5 and I8 and extend along the length of the base H, verticallyspaced therefrom.

I A clamping jaw 22 is formed on the lower end of the sidearm l9 and isadapted to be biased into clampin engagement with the base II or with acard or deck of cards supported on the base on one side of theconnecting bar or supporting member 2|. A similar, inwardly directedarcuate jaw member 24 is formed on the lower end of the other freesidearm I!) of the other" clamping member l4 and is also adapted toresiliently bear against the upper side of the base member II on theother side of the upstanding member 2!. The clamping jaws 22 and 24 aresubstantially semi-cylindrical in configuration opening upwardly withinthe clamping members l2 and [4 to provide for the free sliding movementof a card or cards below the clamping jaws and above the base [I toprovide for the clamping engagement of the jaw members 22 and 24 on theupper surface of the cards C.

In the use and operation of the card retaining device after hands ofcards have been dealt from the deck the remaining deck is clamped on thedevice it] by sliding the remaining cards, face down, under one of theclamping jaws, as the jaw 22. The cards discarded from each hand areslidingly engaged, face up, under the other jaw member 24 whereupon thecards to be further dealt will be supported in the device adjacent thediscarded cards and secured against acc dental displacement from theirarrangement in their packs and against displacement from the table. Thearcuate jaw members 22' and 24pmvide for the selective sliding of thecards C from between the clamping member 62 and base H to be insertedthereafter below the other clamping jaw 24 and above the base II on theother side of the upstanding member 21. In other games iwvo decks ofcards C will be supported on the clamping member l0, one deck beingsupported under the clamping member l2 and the other declt beingsupported under the clamping member l4 whereupon the top card of each ofthe decks may be slidably removed from under the clamping jaw 22 or 24.

In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings there is shown a modified form ofthis invention wherein the clamping jaws are formed in a modifiedmanner.The modified card retaining device llla is formed in substantially thesame manner as the card retaining device It], described aboveh andincludes a pair of clampingmembers l2a and Ma, not shown in the drawingswhich are fixed to and extend'upwardly above a base member H-a spirallylooped, clamping jaw member 22a. The

spirally looped clamping jaw member 22a is formed with an outersegmental convolution 25a and; an inner convolution 26a. The outerconvolution 25a is formed with a central, downwardly opening aperture21a on the lower side thereof having an axis which is positionedvertically, parallel to the length of the clamping bar [9a. A sphericalbearing member 28a, is rotatably supported in the circular opening 21aand extends downwardly a slight distance below the surface defined bythe outer edge of the outer convolution 2511, at the bottom of theclamping member [2a. The free edge of the inner convoluti'on 25a isadapted to bear against" the upper side of the spherical bearing member2811 for retaining the bearing member 28a within thejaw member 220: and,extending slightly. downwardly below the lower surface of the outerconvolution. f

In the use and operation of the modifiedcard retaining member [0a, thecards are handled and positioned in substantially the same manner as thecards are handled in the use of the card retaining member [0, thebearing member 28a providing for the free, intentional, sliding orrotating of the cards engaged between the jaw member 22a and the base Ila for selectively positioning the cards while they are clamped on thecard retaining device Illa.

In Figure 6 of the drawings, there is shown a second modified form ofcard retaining member l0b having a horizontal fiat base lib and acentral upstanding supporting member 212). An upwardly bowed connectingbar or bight member 201) is fixed to, or preferably formed integral withthe extreme upper end of the connecting bar Zlb and an accordion pleatedor zigzag foldable clamping arm or member I2b is formed on the lowerouter end of the connecting bar 2%. A clamping jaw 22b is formed on theextreme lower end of the zigzag connecting bar 521) and is formed-withan outwardly opening hook member or arcuate' clamping surface 30 forengagement with the fiat surface of a playing card to be clamped betweenthe resilient member I21) and the base iii). A similar connecting barI'lb is fixed on the upper end of the upwardly extending" bar'2i-b andextends over the base llb on the opposite side from the connecting bar2012. A similar accordion foldable resilient member, not shown in thedrawings, is fixed to the outer end of the connecting bar l'lb forengaging a second pack or deck of. cards on the other side of the baseHb, in the same manner as the engagement of the cards in the forms ofthe invention shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive.

In the normal position of the zigzag resilient member 121), shown infull lines in Figure 6 of the drawings, the cards will be resilientlypressed against the base Nb and as additional cards are placedunderneath the clamping jaw 22]), the pleats or connecting arms of thezigzag member I222 will be folded upwardly to the position shown indotted lines in Figure 6. The formation of the zigzag resilient memberl2b provides for the increased tension on the playing cards as theresilient member is folded or reduced in length and the tension on thecards will be slightl reduced as the cards are removed from underneaththe clamping jaw 2222. In all other respects the use and operation ofthe card retaining member lllb is similar to the use and operation ofthe card retaining members H] and [Ba described above.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of constructionherein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview ofthe appended claims.

' What is claimed, is:

1. A playing card holding device comprising a fiat elongated horizontalbase'for the support thereon of at least two stacks of cards, a firstU-shaped resilient clamping member positioned transversely and havingits bightfacing said base, one of the legs of said member extendingbetween the two stacks of cards, said one leg of said member having itsend fixedly secured to said base and forming a backing for one. of saidstacks of cards, the other of the legs of said member having its endshaped to form a clamping jaw adapted to slidably engage the top; mostcard of said one stack of cards, a second U -shaped resilient clampingmember positioned transversely offand' having its bight facing. saidbase, one of the legs of said second member extending between the twostacks of cards, said one leg of said second member abutting said oneleg of the first named member and having its end fixedly secured to saidbase and forming a backing for the other of said stack of cards, saidtwo fixed legs abut-ting each other throughout their lengths, the otherof the legs of said second member having its end shaped to form aclamping jaw adapted to slidably engage thev topmost card of the otherof said stacks of cards.

2. A playing card holding device comprising a fiat elongated horizontalbase for the support thereon of at least two stacks of cards, a firstU-shaped resilient clamping member positioned transversely of and havingits bight facing said base, one of the legs of said member extendingbetween the two stacks of cards, said one leg of said member having itsend fixedly secured to said base and forming a backing for one of saidstacks of cards, the other of the legs of said member having its endturned inwardly to form a clamping jaw adapted to slidably engage thetopmost card of said one stack of cards, a second U-shaped resilientclamping member positioned transversely of and having its bight facingsaid base, one of the legs of said second member extending between thetwo stacks of cards, said one leg of said second member abutting saidone leg of the first named member and having its end fixedly secured tosaid base and forming a backing for the other of said stacks of cards,the two fixed legs abutting each other throughout their lengths, theother of the legs of said second member having its end turned in wardlyto form a clamping jaw adapted to slidably engage the topmost card ofthe other of said stacks of cards.

3. A playing card holding device comprising a fiat elongated horizontalbase for the support thereon of atleast two stacks of cards, a first u--shaped resilient clamping member positioned transversely of and havingits bight facing said between the two stacks of cards, said one leg ofsaid member having its end fixedly secured to said base and forming abacking for one of said stacks of cards, the other of the legs of saidmember having its end formed with a ball supporting loop adapted toslidably engage the topmost card of said one stack of cards, a secondU-shaped resilient clamping member positioned transversely of and havingits bight facing said base, one of the legs of said second memberextending between the two stacks of cards, said one leg of said secondmember abutting said one leg of the first named member and having base,one of the legs of said member extending its end fixedly secured to saidbase and forming a backing for the other of said stacks of cards, saidtwo fixed legs abutting each other throughout their lengths, the otherof the legs of said second member having its end formed with a ballsupporting loop adapted to slidably engage the topmost card of the otherof said stacks of cards.

4. A playing card holding device comprising a fiat elongated horizontalbase for the support thereon of at least two stacks of cards, a firstU-shaped resilient clamping member positioned transversely of and havingits bight facing said base, one of the legs of said member extendingbetween the two stacks of cards, said one leg of said member having itsend fixedly secured to said base and forming a backing for one of saidstacks of cards, the other of the legs of said member adjacent its endbeing provided with a zigzag foldable portion, the end of the other ofthe legs of said member being turned outwardly to form a clamping jawadapted to slidably engage the topmost card of said one stack of cards,a second U-shaped resilient clamping member positioned transversely ofand having its bight facing said base, one of the legs of said secondmember extending between the two stacks of cards, said one leg of saidsecond member abutting said one leg of the first named member and havingits end fixedly secured to said base and forming a backing for the otherof said stacks of cards, said two fixed legs abutting each otherthroughout their lengths, the other of the legs of said second memberadjacent the free end being provided with a zigzag: foldable portion,the end of the other of the legs of said second member being turnedoutwardly to form a clamping jaw adapted to slidably engage the topmostcard of the other of said stacks of cards.

JACK TENDLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 209,577 Meincke Nov. 5, 1878345,933 Spiegel July 20, 1886 635,295 Brown Oct. 24, 1899 1,147,548Richter July 20, 1915 1,944,343 Herman Jan. 23, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 133,814 Great Britain Oct. 23, 1919

